This invention relates generally to improved methods and apparatus for use in developing, handling, and axially placing wound coils for dynamoelectric machines.
Apparatus and methods for developing wound coils for use in dynamoelectric machines such as electric motors are, generally, now well known in the art. Also known in the art are equipment and processes for axially placing or injecting prewound coils into the slots of magnetic cores.
In connection with the manufacture of electric motors, it has now been recognized that substantial economies may be realized by utilizing tools that are movable between winding and injecting stations, with the tools being such that they are completely separable from basic winding and injecting equipment. Thus, earlier patents in this art have shown, inter alia, tools that are supported on conveyor means such as a turntable as illustrated for example in Arnold et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,579,818 of May 25, 1971.
Another approach is shown, for example, in the above referenced Lauer U.S. Pat. No. 4,106,185 and the above referenced Lauer and Smith U.S. Pat. No. 4,151,636 wherein coil injection blades are movable from point to point within a coil developing and placing system. Still another approach, which requires a special conveyor system, is described in Muskulus U.S. Pat. No. 3,874,424 of April, 1975, and a publication by Fickert Spezialmaschinen GMBH & Co. KG identified as Publication 1.11.IX.71.10 for "Winding and Inserting Unit With Automatic Conveyor System".
The approaches illustrated heretofore are, for the most part, usable in highly automated situations. However, at many plant locations, physical volume or other factors are such that economic justification cannot be made for fully automated motor manufacturing lines. Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide improvements in manufacturing processes and equipment whereby some of the advantages of automation and increased machine utilization may be realized without being committed to full scale automation. It would be particularly desirable to provide improved processes and apparatus which would lend themselves to an evolving full automation situation.
The approaches illustrated heretofore also, for the most part, involve processes and equipment that are relatively inflexible in terms of manual manipulations. Accordingly, it would also be desirable to provide new and improved apparatus and processes such that manual operations and manipulations may be readily performed, and when economically justifiable, wherein such manual operations and manipulations may be replaced by automatic means.
Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide new and improved methods and apparatus whereby motor manufacturing techniques known heretofore may be carried out relatively quickly without the need for complex automated material transporting systems and yet which are adaptable to automated transporting techniques.
A more specific object of the present invention is to provide new and improved processes and equipment involving coil injection tooling packs which may be easily disconnected from coil injection machine power units and which may be easily transported either manually or by machine between winding and coil injection stations.
It is a more specific object of the present invention to provide methods and apparatus that result in a higher degree of utilization of a coil injection machine power unit without requiring exorbitant investment in fully automated motor manufacturing assembly lines.